‘Double Imprint’ F/W220-JUST IN XX
Patrick Michael Hughes Senior Fashion Editor
What’s the DNA of a Garment?
Among the key strands of fashion DNA would have to be art. Justin Yu-Ying Chou the designer of JUST IN XX looked to Shanghai born contemporary artist Tsong Pu for his fall 2020 collection concept. Pu is a noted leader in the Western postwar landscape of minimalism his art is recognized for its organizational structure, splicing matrix and dynamic geometrical boarders. Pu’s influence is most seen in the art world of Taiwan due to the fact he help establish important centers for the exhibition of modern and contemporary art. Pu’s work has been exhibited in around the world including MoMA PS1 in New York.
It was Pu’s melding of perspectives which attracted Chou. Specifically, Pu’s use of continuous square matrices. Chou modeled his collections looks using digital print patterns and three dimensional Jacquard. Chou adopted Pu’s meticulous attention detail within form, resulting in JUST IN XX’s modern stylized positioning of shape, color and texture. The designer looked to the concept of mixed-medium, textile splicing and new fabric adjacencies in every look in the collection.
“Square pockets and gingham were fused with in delicate contrast with PVC material, metal and wool.” … for Chou fusing unexpected aesthetics, material and structure to create fashion and art leads to a modern a expression of a classic silhouette, a tapestry of boundaries and design.
For Fall/ Winter 2020 JUST IN XX collaborated with American based Fovea Jewellery. This collaboration furthered the theme the unexpected splicing. The brands took everyday objects such as iron buckets, locks and flower pots, to create unique accessories. Building on the creative impetus of ‘combination’, Chou transformed a medley of objects from motorcycle locks and metal chains into ornate pieces, thus re-imagining some of the most common in everyday objects in Taiwanese life.
A further partnership and collaboration seen in the collection was the footwear. Chou made bold changes to Converse shoes, fully reconstructing them with shoes used in previous shows. He created a completely unique shoe, also highlighting a sustainable effort.
For Chou and the the JUST IN XX brand it’s a distinctive shift forward into a new season and creative concept in a growing fashion brand showing globally. The mixture of elements and art was an excellent place to discover new and modern direction.
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Patrick Michael Hughes is a fashion and decorative arts historian. He writes about fashion culture past and present making connections to New York, London and Copenhagen's fashion weeks with an eye toward men's fashion. He joined IRK Magazine as a fashion men's editor during winter of 2017.
He is often cited as a historical source for numerous pieces appearing in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNN, LVMH, Conde Nast, Highsnobiety and others. His fashion career includes years as a fashion reporter/producer of branded content for the New York local news in the hyper digital sector. Patrick's love of travel and terrain enabled him to becoming an experienced cross-country equestrian intensively riding in a number of locations in South America Scandinavia,The United Kingdom and Germany. However, he is not currently riding, but rather speaking internationally to designers, product development teams, marketing teams and ascending designers in the US, Europe and China.
Following his BA in the History of Art from Manhattanville College in Purchase, New York he later completed graduate studios in exhibition design in New York. it was with the nudge and a conversation in regard to a design assignment interviewing Richard Martin curator of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art he was encouraged to consider shifting his focus to the decorative arts with a concentration in fashion history and curation.
Patrick completed graduate studies 17th and 18th century French Royal interiors and decoration and 18th century French fashion culture at Musée Les Arts Decoratifs-Musée de Louvre in Paris. Upon his return to New York along with other classes and independent studies in American fashion he earned his MA in the History of Decorative Arts and Design from the Parsons/Cooper Hewitt Design Museum program in New York. His final specialist focus was in 19th century English fashion and interiors with distinction in 20th century American fashion history and design.
Currently, he is an Associate Teaching Professor at Parsons School of Design leading fashion history lecture-studios within the School of Art and Design History and Theory,
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